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Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 30 Jan 2019, 12:37
by SW1
indeid wrote:
SW1 wrote:That is as weird a FOI question as you’ll get either the person has no idea what a tornado is or is just an idiot or both
Or see it as a challenge in those few weeks left in service.
Well.. there was the hunter pilot who went low level up the Thames!!!

A few cocktails at 250ft up the Lake District might make an interesting end!

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 01 Feb 2019, 07:17
by ArmChairCivvy
I wonder if the "new" FoF installation (lack of) with 300 km range was ever done for the Tornados?
- that 'lack of' caused big problems in the air campaigns over the former Yugoslavia and Gulf (BVR and all that, when there are several air forces conducting the campaign)

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 05 Feb 2019, 19:21
by SW1
After 40 years of service tonka is home for the last time. She was superb did everything ever asked and more she will be greatly missed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-47137790



Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 09 Feb 2019, 09:04
by matt00773
I was scrounging around the Parliament website for defence statements and came across this regarding the Tornado jets after service.

Q: Nia Griffith

"To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for the Tornado aircraft after they are retired."

A: Andrew Stuart

"The majority of the Tornado fleet has already been dismantled and the remaining aircraft have been or are in the process of being transferred for use as gate guardians to commemorate the aircraft's distinguished service, for training purposes or as gifts to museums to inspire future generations of RAF personnel. A small number of Tornados will be disposed of after the aircraft's retirement from RAF service."

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 10 Feb 2019, 11:40
by dmereifield
No resale value (parts and spares) to the handful of other users?

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 10 Feb 2019, 12:31
by abc123
Maybe to keep a pair of them for RAFs Historical Flight?

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 10 Feb 2019, 16:20
by Little J
Someone needs to do a low level send off... I'm talking as low as TFR can go.

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 19 Feb 2019, 19:02
by SW1
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47291557


The final act as Tonka flies into legend!

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 20 Feb 2019, 23:28
by SKB

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 21 Feb 2019, 07:44
by downsizer
If it was Leuchars then it was far more likely he was watching F3s.

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 21 Feb 2019, 08:25
by Lord Jim
My first experience of the Tornado was visiting RAF Honnington in 1982 to see the first squadron(s) in their new HAS complex.

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 21 Feb 2019, 09:29
by Little J
Lord Jim wrote:My first experience of the Tornado was visiting RAF Honnington in 1982 to see the first squadron(s) in their new HAS complex.
Mine was open days at BAe Hatfield in the early / mid 80's, my adolescent brain liked them but preferred the Lightning 'coz that was louder :angel:

And that it looked a little stumpy :wtf:

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 21 Feb 2019, 15:42
by Lord Jim
Remember being a RAF Binbrook when the Lightnings were on QRA. Seeing then go vertical on full afterburner at dusk was quite a sight.

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 28 Feb 2019, 17:44
by SW1
Tonka flys diamond 9!


Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 28 Feb 2019, 19:17
by Lord Jim
Makes me wish we gave 12 Tranche 1 Typhoons to the Red Arrows!

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 28 Feb 2019, 19:31
by SW1
Lord Jim wrote:Makes me wish we gave 12 Tranche 1 Typhoons to the Red Arrows!
Increase the number of typhoon display a/c to 2 and designate them synchro pair for airshows and go back to the black arrows history of an operational Sqn being the “display team” by double hatting the “aggressor” Sqn of typhoons with a role of preforming flypasts in diamond 9 or arrow formation for major events!

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 28 Feb 2019, 19:33
by SW1
Stats from the last operation,



Shows the engineers were the real stars of the force :)

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 28 Feb 2019, 19:59
by topman


185,000 hours on ops not bad going.

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 28 Feb 2019, 21:54
by Ron5
An amazing effort to fly 9 aircraft at one time??

What am I missing here. Daily occurance around these parts.

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 28 Feb 2019, 22:10
by SW1
This was tornados last flight in RAF service marking its retirement after 45 years. Equivalent to asking the USAF to fly a 9 ship of b2’s for comparison.

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 14 Mar 2019, 16:35
by SW1
On the 30th of October 1974 Tornado P02 was the first of an eventual 403 a/c delivered to the RAF.

Today saw the last one to leave RAF service with the parade to disband 9 and 31 Sqn. With it goes the last Of the RAFs nuclear bombers and an a/c that has served for almost half the time there has been an airforce.



Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 09 Nov 2020, 18:13
by 2HeadsBetter
Don't know if anyone has posted this before - an informal chat with a USN Tomcat pilot who spent 3 years flying the Tornado F3.


Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 04 Jun 2021, 17:51
by Trevor B
Does anyone have any information on the following upgrades applied to the Tornado late in its service life:

Tactical Information Exchange Capability (TIEC)

Tornado Collision Warning System (CWS)

Secure Communications on Tornado (SCoT)

Tornado Helmet Mounted Cueing System (THMCS)

Advanced Infrared Countermeasures (AIRCM)

There is very little information on this including the cockpit control panels.

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 04 Jun 2021, 20:30
by downsizer
Great question but I doubt you'll find any hands on tornado experience on this forum!

Mostly they were only fitted to the platinum fleet that went to herrick with a a training jet in the UK.

Re: Panavia Tornado (RAF)

Posted: 05 Jun 2021, 06:47
by topman
They went onto the bae jets first, then 41 then the fwd fleet IIRC.

No4 on the list, the LRU went in the back with the nav, went in the rudder pedal tunnel right at the front. Although only being fitted to single stickers there were no rudder pedals in the back.

No 3s panel just replaced the old radio IIRC, right hand cockpit combing for the control panel. Radios went in the lh av bay (?) .

No5, control panel went in the back. I don't remember much about it, I think it went where the butty box was but don't really remember.